Sunday in Doha

'The players are working very well'

Created on 08-01-2017 at 14:09 PM
by Redaktion

Ribéry shouts encouragement to a young reserve player. Xabi Alonso gets annoyed about conceding a goal. Thomas Müller smiles fiendishly about the victory. Bayern went about their training game on Sunday morning full of purpose. “The atmosphere is good. We’re motivated, the sun is shining. I’m happy when I’m on the pitch,” said Franck Ribéry, who felt “perfect” on the fifth day of training. “The coach has made an excellent programme with his staff. But it’s tough and intense.”

“The team is working very well,” reported Philipp Lahm. “We can be very happy – aside from the injury to Thiago. Something like that is obviously not nice.” Yesterday the Spaniard sustained a thigh injury and had to end his training camp early. “It’s a great shame because Thiago was in very good form in the last few games before the winter break,” said the FCB captain. “But we have a big squad and we shouldn’t worry too much.”

Arsenal at the back of their minds

Carlo Ancelotti said: “These things happen. We hope he won’t be out for too long and will at least be fit for the home game against Arsenal.” On the 14th February, not four weeks after the start of the season half of the season, Bayern take on the Premier League side in the first leg of their Champions League round of 16 match. The return leg takes place on 7th March in London.

This game is at the back of the players’ minds in Doha. “We need to be 100% fit otherwise we have no chance,” stressed Ribéry. Therefore it’s “very important that we prepare well.” The FCB players have been doing exactly that every day on the training field, not least Ribéry and Lahm, who noted: “For us older players, we won’t get many more opportunities to win the Champions League again.”